Category: Book Stuff

What’s In A Name?

Published on by Sheila (Book Journey)45 Comments


Ok….. I need your advice.

When I started book blogging I really didnt even know that was what I was doing.  I had started recording my book thought on line in a blog format – pretty much as record keeping for me.  People finding my writing was not only rare but a little spooky.  My blog traffic in those early days was maybe 2 or 3 a week.

It wasn’t until June of 2009 that I received a comment on my blog that I clicked on to see where they came from which led me down the proverbial rabbit trail to a book blog and to another and to another….. and I found my “people”.  The rest is history…

When I started blogging, or at the time, I would call it book journalism, I wasn’t thinking  about blog traffic, marketing, promotions, connecting with others,…..  so I really did not put a lot of thought into the name of this “journal”:

One Persons Journey Through A World Of Books

(holy mouthful batman!)

Now as I am preparing to go to BEA this year, and have been thinking of ways to better promote what I do here…. the name has come to grate on me. It is  sooooooo Loooooonnnnggggg.  However what I need to know is if it worth it to shorten it up or will I just create confusion?

My Twitter name is Bookjourney so I have tossed that around.  Journey Through Books is my email.  I really don’t want to lose the name recognition if and when I do decide to change.  I just want something easier to say and easier to remember as I go forward.  My blog is growing and I want it to not only be memorable but also as user-friendly as possible.

Are you picking up what I am putting down?  🙂


I am interested in your thoughts.

Is it a bad idea to change your blog name?

If its not bad, any thoughts on what it should be?

How to go about it?  (I am guessing just keep it simple…)

Advice and tips are welcome as I ponder on this ……

Judging A Book By It’s….. Title or Author

Published on by Sheila (Book Journey)48 Comments


We have hashed our way through conversations of judging a book by its cover.  Been there… done that… still happening…

BUT – today my question is what about the title or cover.  Have you ever passed on a book because of its title?  Or because of the author?  OR… have you picked up a book because of the title or author?

I have two examples of skipping (or almost skipping) books because of titles.  One I talked about a week ago when I linked on to Home Girl’s Blog and her subject on book confessions.  The book I talked about there was Leave It To Cleavage by Wendy Wax.  If it were not for my book club it would have been a no to me on both accounts.  No to the title…. and the authors name just added to my resounding no.  Well – I did read the book for book club and found it to be a light, clean, chick lit read that did make me laugh.

Judgement #2 was Good In Bed By Jennifer Weiner.  This one I did not read…. because of the title.  The book club did read it and said it was a wonderful book and had a good story to it about an overweight woman struggling with body image.

As for judging a book by its author, Lori in my book club would not read Nora Roberts.  Thought she was a terrible author and had no interest in her books.  I told Lori she had to read the The Three Sisters Trilogy by Nora….  at least book one, Dance Upon The Air.  She begrudgingly did – and loved all three of the books in this series.

So how about you?  Have you judged a book by its title or author?

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?

Published on by Sheila (Book Journey)107 Comments

Sorry for the lateness of this post.  This week is our quarterly serving week with the homeless in our community and tonight I am staying overnight with them.  I just now had time to get this post up and going.  Tomorrow I will be able to catch up and visit all of you who link to this meme!  🙂

My week had started out strong but as I got to the end of it life took over with appointments and “must do’s” and those procrastination things that waited and waited until finally I gave in and did them.


First things first – thanks you to those who came back and let me know that you commented on 10 or more Monday, What Are You Reading posts.  I love the community part of this meme!  :) Remember – for every 10 you comment on and then tell me in the comment area below, I put you in for our weekly drawing out of the prize box!  (10 comments = 1 entry, 20 = 2 entries, etc…)

It is time to announce  last weeks winner (using random.org):

AMY

Congratulations!  You get to choose an item out of the Prize Box !  Let me know your pick here as well as email me at journeythroughbooks (at) gmail (dot) com with your mailing address!


Here is what happened here at OPJTAWOB last week:

The round table discussion of Wounded by Claudia Mair Burney (I had so much fun being a part of this!)

Author Chat with Jay Asher (Thirteen Reasons Why) (Can I just get a squeal up in here?  This was a fun interview!)

I Confess ( a fun little book confession meme where I *cough cough* share an embarrassing book related story)

Hooray for BEA! (A giddy little post on this upcoming event that has me seriously doing cartwheels!)

Penguin Luck by Kay Mupetson (hmmmm….. an unusual book but a good one)

Shutter Island by Dennis Lehane (flashback review to a book I LOVE LOVE LOVED)

Merlins Harp by Anne Eliot Crompton (Review of this fantasy read)

Undress Me In The Temple Of Heaven by Susan Jane Gillman (a review of real like happenings!)

Always My Brother by Jean Reagan (a breathtaking read for young children about loss of a sibling)

This week I have a busy week of serving with the homeless in our area.  I am a coordinator for this week so I will be assisting in some way shape or form almost every day so this will cut a bit onto my time.  Also – Al is back home as of the wee hours of this Monday morning (can I get a hollar?).  That being said here is my hopefully doable plan:

I am in this book currently….. and all I can say right now is….. whoa….

Up next….

and this is the third… but not the end…. there are three more books to follow and I am fascinated!

And this is one is up for tour this Thursday


I cant wait to see what you are reading this week!  Be sure to link up below so we can all check out your reads – and stop back with your comment counts to be entered in the weekly comment giveaway (10 = 1 entry, 2 = 20, etc…)


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Morning Meanderings…

Published on by Sheila (Book Journey)24 Comments

Good morning!  I had a great time last night when two of my girlfriends came over to have chicken fajitas and watch a  movie with me.  They are so fun!  We celebrated my birthday since I was traveling during that time in February and they surprised me with a pedicure certificate!

I just love those friends that you can talk about anything with – and that’s what I have in these two.  I think we all seriously laughed until we cried.  We talked, watched funny YouTube commercials, ate great food – and lots of chocolate!  (Yikes!)  After the movie we talked and talked  until almost midnight.

This morning I am still smiling with coffee cup in hand and so thankful for friends like these.

Moving on – this morning I have a baby shower to go to and then I think I am going to leave the day commitment free.  I am extremely tired right now after having a few really busy days in a row.  Tomorrow it will start up again as I prepare for our week of serving the homeless in our area.

Tomorrow morning I will set up the rooms for the guests to stay in, and then after Church my friend Karol and I are going to go do the shopping for the staples they will need through the week.  At 4:30 I will be back there to stay overnight and then by the time I come home at 8 am on Monday – AL will be back home!  🙂  WOO HOO!

So yeah…. even as I write this I am thinking uh…. yeah….. take it easy today, the rest of the week is going to be nuts. The book that will be joining my weekend is The Crown Conspiracy by Michael Sullivan.

I want to mention really quick here that I have signed up over at Galleysmith for the Literary Road Trip.  What Michelle has going on is that you can link to her fun meme of reading authors from your state and then each week she will link your  Road Trip Posts to her blog.  I called dibs on Minnesota!  I have a few books waiting for review that are Minnesota Authors.   Anyway – go check it out, your state may still be available.  🙂

Any big weekend plans for you?  What book will be joining you?

I Confess….

Published on by Sheila (Book Journey)41 Comments

This morning I seen this fun post to link to over at Home Girl’s Blog.  I had a busy day and had no time to do anything with it until now…. but I do have a funny story to share about a book.

A couple years ago my book club voted our book choice to be a book called Leave It To Cleavage by Wendy Wax.  I was horrified.  So many good books out there to read and this, this is what gets voted in. Not only did the title make me feel a little uneasy…. so did the author’s name.

I ordered my copy from our local book store and when it came in they called me and I went in to pick it up.  I made sure I was alone at the counter and told them they had a book for me under my name.  The man at the counter went and looked through a pile of books and in a loud voice said, “Oh, do you mean Leave It To Cleavage?”

In a small voice I respond, “mmmm hhhmmmm…. that’s the one.”

He brings me the books and proceeds to tell me that there was a big write-up in the Minneapolis paper about that book just that day and it was a rave review.  I pay for the book and quickly head out the door.

Turns out, the book was actually a funny lite read and not at all what I was thinking it might be.  It kind of reminds me of an early Evanovich style of read.  I confess I was guilty of not only of  judging a book by its title but also, I judged the author by her name.  To this day my book club still harasses me a little bit for my over reaction to this book.

Morning Meanderings

Published on by Sheila (Book Journey)23 Comments


No time for hopping around this morning – I have a builders meeting at 8:30 am on the other side of town.  Coffee Cup are not so leisurely this morning!  🙂

I do want to take a moment to welcome Rachel who has now taken on J Kayes Blog, which is now called Home Girls Book Blog. Pop on over and welcome her, I think she will do a wonderful job!

I am off to the meeting and then to the office, kind of a weird office day, I will be there only for a short time today and then I am taking my Administrative Assistant out for a catching up and planning lunch.  Should be a good day!


Oh…. and did you see my post on BEA (Book Expo America)?

Hip Hip Hooray For B E A !!!

Published on by Sheila (Book Journey)50 Comments


If you would have told me a year ago (heck, 8 months ago!) that I would be blogging and carrying on book related discussions with fellow book lovers on a daily basis, I would have thought you were a few fries short of a Happy Meal.  If you would have added I would also sign up to attend an event in New York (where I have never been before) and room with 4 other girls (whom I have never met) I would have had some concern over your mental well-being.

Yet here I am – blogging daily…. and yes, with a huge deep breath, I am going to New York to attend BEA (Book Expo of America).

Pause for a cart wheel break…..

I wanted to write this post for a few reasons.  One, it’s not often I get to do on-line cart wheels.  Two, I really wanted to thank all the wonderful bloggers who took the time to write posts on what to expend at BEA (they have been most beneficial to me!)  Here are some of the things I have taken away from those posts (check out the BEA Blog Tour here) that I would not have thought about going in to this:

Bring your own water and snacks for the expo.  The food is pricey and this will cover me while I am exploring all the amazing things around me.

Comfy comfy shoes are VERY important!  Also to dress neatly, I am representing my blog.

I appreciated learning about “must see” places, bringing business cards, ask before taking, don’t over book myself, and more!  I read all the posts and I took notes.  Thank you.

So what questions am I left with?

Mainly the BEA site itself.  What should I be pre-signing up for now?  Is there any thing that I am going to do a  head smack when I get there because I didn’t pre register for something?  What badge do I register under?


That’s about it – and oh, have you met my roommates?

Reagan at Miss Remmers Reviews

Esme from Chocolates and Croissants

Kim from Sophisticated Dorkiness

Care from Care’s Online Book Club

Stop by and check out these awesome bloggers.  Oh – and I really hope to see you there!


Oh and don’t even get me started on BBC (Book Blogger Convention) … but that’s a post for another day…  😉

Morning Meanderings…

Published on by Sheila (Book Journey)45 Comments


Morning!  Coffee Cup and I are enjoying a little quiet time before my day goes from zero (now) to 120 (an hour from now).

I have always appreciated good commercials.  At one time I even considered going into advertising because a good witty commercial really appeals to me.  (Oh come on….. am I the only one that watches the Super Bowl for the commercials?)

Over the last week I have seen a commercial that cracks me up every time I see it.  Whoever created this one – it is brilliant.  I laugh every time.  Nicely done!

Today I have a day in the office, some work to do at home, and a review coming up in a little while.

Do you have any favorite commercials?

Merlin’s Harp by Anne Eliot Crompton

Published on by Sheila (Book Journey)33 Comments

When I was yet a very young woman I threw my heart away. Ever since then I have lived heartless, or almost heartless, the way Humans think all Fey live.

Among the towering trees of magical Avalon, where humans dare not tread, lives Niviene, daughter of the Lady of the Lake. Her people, the Fey, are folk of the wood and avoid the violence and greed of man. But the strife of King Arthur’s realm threatens even the peace of Avalon. And while Merlin the mage has been training Niviene as his apprentice, he now needs her help to thwart the chaos devouring Camelot. Niviene’s special talents must help save a kingdom and discover the treachery of men and the beauty of love…

¬     ¬     ¬     ¬     ¬     ¬     ¬

A Counsel Oak Leaf Song

Water rising under rock,

Break Earth’s lock,

Floods thirsty roots,

Nurtures sap and trunk and shoots,

Greens and plumps each greedy leaf,

Till dappled sunlight like a thief,

Sucks leaf-water as I breathe,

Makes of mist and airy wreath

To drift and float and wander high

To the sky,

And fall again,

Sweet rich rain,

Run under rock, ans

Rise again.

~ Merlin’s Harp

I like a good fantasy read and the story that was proposed here about Merlin and Arthur really called to me.  I have to admit – there is a bit of cover love here too….. I mean look at it!  Wouldn’t you want to enter these pages too?  I felt it could be magical…. and really hoped it would be.

Nivienne (I imagine rhymes with Vivienne) is a Fey.  A Fey lives off in the forests separated from man as much as they can be.  The story is told from Nivienne strong perspective and I liked that a story that in the past has had a masculine feel to it, was now being told by a woman…. err… a Fey.  Feminine.

I enjoyed the poetry of the book but I seemed to get lost in the activity of what was happening.  I like descriptive reads and I did not fully get the look and feel of their surroundings.  This left me with a sense of constantly trying to stay caught up in the story.

I wanted to enjoy this book and honestly have to admit I struggled and bumbled my way through it never catching the flow.

You can read the first chapter here

Please take time to read other thoughts on this book:

http://litbites.blogspot.com/ 20-Feb
https://bookjourney.wordpress.com/ 22-Feb
http://fayeflamereviews.blogspot.com/ 23-Feb
http://www.devourerofbooks.com/ 23-Feb
http://yainsider.blogspot.com 24-Feb
http://bfishreads.blogspot.com/ 1-Mar
http://booksandliteratureforteens.blogspot.com/ 2-Mar
http://ultimatebookhound.blogspot.com/ 2-Mar
http://bookrevues.blogspot.com/ 3-Mar
http://bookworm0440.blogspot.com 3-Mar
www.thebookjournal.com 3-Mar
http://sarahbear9789.blogspot.com/ 4-Mar
http://www.howlinggooddbooks.com 5-Mar
http://thebookowl.blogspot.com/ 7-Mar
www.jenrothschild.com 8-Mar
http://alwaysriddikulus.blogspot.com/ 9-Mar
http://stephsureads.blogspot.com 10-Mar
http://bookalicio.us/ 11-Mar
http://neverendingshelf.blogspot.com 12-Mar
http://www.galleysmith.com/ 13-Mar
http://bookingmama.blogspot.com/ 15-Mar
http://thebookpixie.blogspot.com/ 15-Mar
http://www.jennsbookshelves.com 15-Mar
http://cafeofdreams.blogspot.com 16-Mar
http://reveriemedia.blogspot.com/ 17-Mar
http://www.thecompulsivereader.blogspot.com/ 18-Mar
http://darkfaerietales.com 19-Mar
http://edward-cullen.net 20-Mar
http://redheadedbookchild.blogspot.com 22-Mar
http://cindysloveofbooks.blogspot.com 23-Mar
http://dolcebellezza.blogspot.com/ 23-Mar
http://www.capriciousreader.com/ 24-Mar
http://examiner.com (Portland) 25-Mar
http://www.theveronicaproject.blogspot.com/ 26-Mar

I received my copy of this book from Sourcebooks


It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?

Published on by Sheila (Book Journey)150 Comments


Happy Monday everyone!  Wow another week that zipped right on by!    I am really enjoying sharing this meme with all of you and seeing what everyone has been doing and reading over the past week as well as the plan for the week ahead.

First things first – thanks you to those who came back and let me know that you commented on 10 or more Monday, What Are You Reading posts.  I love the community part of this meme!  🙂  Remember – for every 10 you comment on and then tell me in the comment area below, I put you in for our weekly drawing out of the prize box!  (10 comments = 1 entry, 20 = 2 entries, etc…)

So I am so excited to announce that last weeks winner was (using random.org):

MICHELLE (Literarily Speaking)

Congratulations!  You get to choose an item out of the Prize Box !  Let me know your pick here as well as email me at journeythroughbooks (at) gmail (dot) com with your mailing address!

Here is what I read and reviewed last week:

Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher (I can’t recommend this book enough – it was an excellent read!)

The Pastor’s Wife by Jennifer AlLee (this book was such a good read!  I loved these characters and would love to see them come back in a second book.  **Hint! Hint!

Hear No Evil by Matthew Paul Turner (an interesting read about how music played an interesting – and humorous – role in Matthew’s life)

Swoon AT YOur Own Risk by Sydney Salter (I enjoyed this YA read and found it refreshingly light and summery!)

Buying Time By Pamela Samuels Young (ooh a fast paced thriller – I have been reading this one over the past few weeks and really enjoyed it!)

I had a wonderful week of reading and with the house empty now for the next week my reading pace should hopefully continue.  I still have reviews to post this week on books I finished a few weeks back.

This weeks plan of attack:

I am reading this book for a guest review over at Book Chick City in March

And these books are all part of what I hope to be a Michael Sullivan Reading week.  I was thrilled to receive all three of these books signed and personalized!  My hope is to spend the week reading these books and hopefully have them up for review by the weekend or the first part of next week.   I have heard wonderful things about these books!

Be sure to link your It’s Monday!  What Are You reading post here so we can all go and see what you have going on!  Also remember to stop back with how many of these posts you commented on and tell me in the comment section so I may enter you in next weeks giveaway!  🙂


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